


Turn Back the Clock

by battle_goats



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Adam saves sheith, Adam-Centric, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cosmic goddess Allura, Crack Treated Seriously, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-29
Updated: 2019-01-29
Packaged: 2019-10-18 22:32:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17589647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/battle_goats/pseuds/battle_goats
Summary: Adam survives the destruction of his fighter, only to be recruited by what he assumes is a cosmic goddess into saving his ex from marrying an officer with the personality of a dead fish.





	Turn Back the Clock

**Author's Note:**

> I came up with this way too late at night when I should have been sleeping. I hope a couple people at least like it.

Adam snapped awake to the sound of the heart monitor.  He was alive, when he shouldn't be. But the moments between his fighter blowing up, and him waking up was nothing but drifting stars and a beautiful woman named Allura.

Her hair had glowed like moonlight, and she wore a circlet of stars.  Her flowing dress reminded him of a nebula. And she had come to him in his short coma to show him the future. 

Earth's occupation, the arrival of the Paladins or Voltron. The IGF-ATLAS finally taking to the skies, and the battles that it would participate in.  And the fate of her captain.

Adam watched Shiro marry some guy.

“Why are you showing me all this?”

“When the realities were restored, they did not return to their true original states.  Takashi Shirogane was never supposed to become romantically involved with anyone but Keith Kogane beyond this point,” Allura told him.  Adam wasn't shocked by this revelation at all. “In all realities there is always one constant. Shiro and Keith. I do not know what it is that makes this reality different, but the only anomaly I can find is the man called Curtis.  He does not exist in any other reality. I do not know where he came from, but he cannot be allowed to be involved with Shiro.”

“But why me?  I was supposed to die in that battle.”

“Though your relationship with Shiro is long over, there is still a bit of love in your heart for him.  If anyone would want to see him truly happy, it would be you.”

“Compared to Keith willing him back to life with the power if love, I feel like a nobody.  But I do still care about him, in my own way.”

“Then it is time to awaken, Adam.  I cannot interfere anymore than this, so please be careful.  And good luck.”

Adam tolerated the doctor asking him the usual brain damage test questions, but it's when he attempted to shift he realized there's something wrong.

 

Paralyzed.  From the waist down.  Adam tried to consider himself lucky he was alive, even if he knew it's all because of Allura.  Recovery was slow, but he was eventually discharged. The nurse wheeled him out of the room and to the elevator while he finished up the paperwork.

Adam idly wondered what he would do for the Garrison now.  Iverson had visited, given him his options but he hadn't made a concrete decision yet.  He had been a fight class pilot, taught the lower division piloting classes. The Garrison had likely fully transitioned from exploration to full military organization by this point.  He had scored himself a promotion for surviving, not that it didn't leave a bad taste in his mouth. But he also had a degree in electrical engineering. Surely, he could find a use for himself somewhere.

Adam wheeled across the compound from the hospital to the main building.  Even with PT his arms were already tiring from the effort.

Iverson was waiting for him.  A quick salute in greeting, and an accompanying cadet pushed him inside. 

Adam is eventually added to Commander Holt's team of engineers.  And so he spent his days working, and waiting for Team Voltron to show up.

 

It takes far longer than he expected.  But it gives him time to plan. In particular, plan out ways to keep Curtis, the comms officer away from Shiro.  Which worked out when Curtis dumped a tray of soy meatloaf on his head when he walked right into the back of Adam's chair one day in the cafeteria.

The man was a mess of apologies as he scrambled to clean rehydrated mashed potatoes out of Adam's hair.  There's a smear of ketchup on his glasses too. What the hell did Takashi see in this man. Adam just smiled and waved him off, as if smelling like a protein substitute all day was something he wanted.

And yet somehow, he ended up eating at least three meals a week with Lieutenant Curtis.  The man manages to be as bland and dry as a saltine. Adam still didn't know what possessed Takashi to marry him.

 

Team Voltron arrived, and two of their team have tearful reunions with family. Commander and Doctor Holt home their daughter close.  Adam only vaguely recalls her when she had been masquerading as Cadet Gunderson. Cadet Sanchez is holding a child in each arm, his niece and nephew apparently.  Adam remembered him being a string bean of a boy, with no muscle mass to speak of. He stood tall with broader shoulders now.

In fact, the three wayward cadets hold themselves as older than their ages indicate.  In fact, they look not that much older than when they had left. The the last two familiar faces who look the most changed. 

Takashi was missing an arm, the remnants of what look like a prosthetic cut off at the upper bicep area.  His hair is like starlight, and there's a scar across the bridge if his nose. He looks handsome and dashing, even with the exhaustion showing in the dark circles under his eyes.

Cadet Kogane had bulked up.  Broader shoulders, more of that lean muscle he had already been showing signs of before his expulsion. His hair has gotten longer, and a broad scar marred in cheek.  He also looks older than his fellow cadets despite being the same age.

The team also brings four aliens with them.  Three humanoids and one that looks like a large wolf. 

 

Adam later found out from Commander Holt that due to time dilations, that everyone of the group, except for Kogane had only aged a year and a half since they'd left Earth. Kogane had aged three. Upper Brass was still arguing whether to treat them by their biological ages, or by Earth chronology.

In the end all the cadets were made officers, though there was no time to get them new uniforms.  The worst is probably the mess it makes of the chain of command. All five paladins tend to defer to Takashi, but once its explained that the head of Voltron, Kogane, is the one the others take orders from.

Adam also noticed how close Takashi and Kogane are.  He and Takashi had managed a few stilted conversations.  In general it was easier to stick to work related topics than anything else.  At least until he noticed Takashi pulling away from Kogane.

“Trouble in paradise?” he asked.  Takashi looked up from his tray of mac and cheese.

“What?”

“You and Kogane.  You two were practically joined at the hip when you got here.  Now I'm finding one without the other more often than not.”

“Wait, what?”

Adam squinted at Takashi, then it clicked. 

“Oh my God, you two aren't even together,” he mumbled.

“O-of course not!  He thinks if me as a brother,” Takashi said.  Adam massaged his temples. He doesn't even know why he's surprised.  He remembered what it was like, before and right after they had started dating.  For all his confidence, Takashi was terrible at understanding that he was desirable to other people.

“Takashi, the way Kogane looks at you is not at all familial.  The man is looks like he wants to pin you to a wall and kiss you senseless.”  Takashi's ears were red, he was clearly thinking about it.

“But why would he call me his brother, then?”

“Maybe because while he knows his own feelings, he isn't sure about you.  Given how much history you two have, he probably said it to give you an out in case you don't reciprocate without jeopardizing your current friendship.”

Takashi was silent for a long moment. 

“Just think about it.  You've been through a lot, I think it's time for the universe to give you something back.  You deserve to be happy.” Adam set his used tray on his lap to throw into the dirty dish bin and left the cafeteria.

 

Of course Takashi was probably the worst procrastinator Adam had ever met in his life, because after the big battle, Takashi sat in Keith's hospital room, clutching at a limp hand.  Adam rolled by, on his way back from delivering a report to Commander Holt that needed his attention. Adam paused by the open door.

“Please don't say ‘I told you so,’” Takashi said.

“Wasn't planning on it.  But are you going to do something about it?” Adam asked.

“Yeah.  The second he's awake.  I should have said it the moment he brought me back.”

“Good luck, Takashi, I wish you two the best,” he said. 

“Thank you.”

 

The next time Adam saw the pair was during a meeting, trying to hide the fact that they were holding hands under the table.  He smiled, glad that Allura's plan had worked. Though he wondered if there was a chance to save her.

 


End file.
